A Complete Beginning: A New Prophecy
by Dr. Magic PhD
Summary: Episode 1 in the "Complete" series: If you were a guy, how would you feel about suddenly becoming one of three of the world's most powerful witches ever? On top of that, what if the other two turned out to be your long lost brothers? It's drama!
1. In the Very Beginning

The night of 29 October 1482 was a grim one for Patricia Nichols. It was cold, dark, and raining outside. She sat in a dark room, lit with a single candle, holding her newborn child close to her. She comforted him as best as she could, but he would not stop whimpering. Suddenly, as the lightning flashed, a man appeared beside her. He grabbed her by the throat, catching her by surprise. She struggled to break free, but his grip was too strong. Her child, sensing his mother's pain, began crying loudly.

"Leave us alone, Matthias!" Patricia screamed, desperately trying to pry herself free of her assailant.

"No matter how much you struggle," Matthais said with a smirk, "you cannot defeat me. I am stronger than you!"

"Please!" she cried as she weakened. "I beg of you! Leave us be!"

"You should know better, Patricia," Matthias sneered. "Taking your power will make me unstoppable. The power of copycat is one of the rarest of powers. In my possession, I will become a god!"

"Listen to me, Matthias," Patricia said bravely. "You will not win. Killing me will not make you invincible. It will only bring about your own death quicker."

"You do not scare me," he said, tightening his grip on her throat. "I _will_ become unstoppable once I have added your power to my 'collection.'"

Matthias White was the most powerful warlock of his time. Born the son of a human mother and a warlock father, he had fully embraced his evil side, that side which compelled him to kill good witches and steal their powers. He had killed many witches during his lifetime and acquired many supernatural powers. With the death of Patricia Nichols would come his greatest power, copycat, which gave him the ability to copy any power used against him and, in addition, he would become immune to that power.

As a warlock, Matthias already had the ability to blink, moving from place to place in the blink of an eye, and the power of transmogrification, changing shape from human to animal in a matter of moments. He had inherited those powers from his father. From killing witches, however, he had obtained the powers of telekinesis (moving objects with his mind), self-density reduction (altering the density of his body so that he could pass through objects), and cryokinesis (the ability to freeze people or objects solid).

"Matthias White," Patricia said, "if you kill me now, you will live to regret it, for I have had a vision, a prophecy. Heed these words, Matthias; heed my warning. '_Bloodshed will bring blood together and three will free the world from all evil_.' You cannot stop the prophecy."

"I have known you long enough to know that visions are not your power," Matthias said.

"_I_ did not receive the vision," Patricia replied. "_Our child_ did."

Matthias ignored Patricia's words and plunged a sharp dagger into her abdomen. He grinned evilly at the sound of her ear-piercing shriek. The child began crying even harder at the sound of his mother's scream. She struggled to stay alive, but the pain of the dagger was overcoming her will. Matthias held her body close to his and absorbed a white aura that had begun to surround her. He felt a surge of power as her magical energy merged with his own.

Suddenly, though, the white aura that had begun to surround him turned red. His body started shaking uncontrollably as Patricia's aura slowly returned. Still on the verge of death herself, she tried to muster the strength to push Matthias away, but she was too weak. As she willed it, though, a mysterious force cast Matthias, who was still unable to move, into a wall twenty feet away. The dagger that was lodged within her abdomen suddenly freed itself and fell to the ground.

"What is happening to me?" Matthias roared angrily. "Why can I not move?"

"Try as you might," Patricia whispered, holding her child close to her, "you cannot defeat good. To be good is to know love, and love conquers all. You know not love, Matthias. You only know hate. And though only a newborn, our son knows the difference and will protect me from you."

"Then I suppose I have to kill _him_ as well," Matthias sneered.

He gathered all of his strength and freed himself from the child's magical hold. The red glow disappeared and he regained the ability to move. He picked up the dagger and thrust it into Patricia's heart, killing her instantly. The child had begun crying again, but Matthias paid him no mind. The white aura that had returned to Patricia before now faded into nothing as Matthias absorbed her power of copycat.

He turned to the child, his own son, preparing to strike. Before he could make a move, though, the child stopped crying and stared at him innocently. Matthias felt no emotion as he raised the dagger over the child. Suddenly, the red aura surrounded Matthias again and he lost control over his body. Instead of striking the child, Matthias stabbed himself repeatedly in the chest. He yelled intensely as the pain circulated through his body and the life drained out of him.

The aura disappeared and Matthias fell to the floor, dead. There sat the child, between his parents, with his eyes wide open and his mouth closed. He had no idea that he had done what he had. His powers were guided by the love he had with his mother. With her gone, he was alone and helpless...

_And now, a word from the good Doctor: "What happened to the child, and what to Patricia and Matthias have to do with anything? That happened over 500 years ago! Trust me, there's a reason; there's a reason for everything!"_


	2. Three Come Together I

Matthew had a black eye and his nose dripped blood constantly, but he was still standing...or at least leaning against the ropes. Matthew Hart was the pride of his city, Philadelphia. At only seventeen, he was the 2000 regional junior middleweight boxing champion. He stood just under six feet tall and weighed a solid two hundred three pounds. His brown hair and mysterious gray eyes gave him a "dark" feature that only made most people feel intimidated. Despite his tough exterior and "bad boy" image, he was a very intelligent person. Having just graduated from Neshaminy High School, he had been accepted to Oxford College of Emory University, a more intensive extension of the prestigious southern university that stressed academics for the first two years of college. Of course, he had been offered the choice to attend Emory as a freshman, but something inside him made him want to take a chance and broaden his horizons.

The referee struggled to support Matthew's frame while at the same time lifting Matthew's arm, declaring him the winner. The crowd roared in response. As the referee left the ring, a team of five paramedic officers rushed in to tend to both Matthew and his opponent, who had not fared so well. Matthew had blackened both his opponent's eyes in addition to having broken his jaw and dislocated his shoulder.

"I'm cool," Matthew muttered through his swollen lips.

"Put this on your eye," an officer said, handing Matthew an icepack. "And put pressure on your nose to stop it from bleeding. You really gave it to that other guy."

"I was just doin' my job," Matthew said slowly as he walked away. "Thanks for the ice."

James Armstrong pulled his black boots off and threw himself exhaustedly onto his bed. He had been in ROTC training all day and, even though he had joined at the beginning of the school year, he still hadn't gotten used to the grueling workouts he and his colleagues were subject to on a weekly basis. He was a nineteen year old freshman at Oxford College of Emory University, trying desperately to balance military life with a five-year engineering plan. It certainly wasn't easy. He hailed from South Forsyth High School, located in a suburb of Atlanta, so he was only forty-five minutes from home.

James had a take-charge personality that prompted most of his actions. Although he always had some sort of work to do, he always found time to do community service. He wanted to get things done in life; he wanted to help others. He was 6'2" and weighed one hundred seventy-nine pounds. His dark blond hair and deep blue eyes only highlighted his aggressive persona.

Wesley Williams was already tired from running _and _jumping. He was the youngest senior in school history at sixteen, yet he had just managed to lead his high school track team to the conference championship title. Although he never admitted it, he loved being the center of attention. Pretending not to like it only magnified it, making him feel even better. He was only five feet nine and a half inches and weighed one hundred fifty-five pounds, but he had proven to his classmates and fellow runners that size was not everything.

He had just graduated from St. Mark's School of Texas in Dallas and offered a spot as a freshman at Oxford College of Emory University in the fall. He boasted a grade point average of 4.2, not bad for the youngest person in his class. He was popular, intelligent, clever, and had everything together.

Still, he had a nagging feeling that made him believe that he was different from everyone else. It was a sensation that came and went periodically, but when he felt it, his mind often wandered at countless possibilities. In the end, though, he always dismissed it as "just being a black man in a white world" and moved on with his life.

_And now, comments from the Doctor: who the hell are _these_ people? What relevance do they have to the story? Stay tuned, because everything will be answered in time!_


	3. Three Come Together II

_The Doc comments: Hey! I got my very first review for this story, so props to damien455 for getting' the review party started. That was all I wanted to say for now._

* * *

The end of August had finally come and freshmen orientation had begun at Oxford College. The campus was a small one; the two-year college was home to only around 600 freshmen and sophomores. Though it was small, the campus was still beautiful. There was the quadrangle (the Quad) in the middle of the campus, with its towering trees that went from green to gold to red to brown throughout the seasons. Around the Quad were the buildings of the college. On one side were stood the dormitories and on the other, the academic, administrative, and recreational buildings. From a bird's eye perspective, the entire campus looked like an oval, with the Quad in the middle and the various buildings surrounding it.

Wesley walked around the campus slowly, trying to figure out where his residence hall was located. As he wheeled a heavy suitcase behind him, he absent-mindedly bumped into another freshman, who was obviously having a hard time handling his luggage. Wesley let go of his own suitcase and stared at this person whom he bumped into. He had two extra large suitcases, four heavy boxes and three bags full of clothes. Wesley thought to himself, _I'm glad I don't have to room with this guy_.

"Sorry about that," Wesley said. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No problem," the other guy said. "I'm Matt, by the way."

"Matt?" Wesley asked. "Tell me your last name's not Hart."

"Yeah," Matthew answered. "You must be Wesley Williams then?"

"Yeah," Wesley sighed.

"What's wrong?" Matthew asked.

"Look at all this junk you have," Wesley said. "I don't think the _college_ is big enough to hold all that stuff. I thought I brought a lot, but this is a shame!"

"I _needed_ all this stuff," Matthew objected. "Anyway, do you know where Branham Hall is?"

"That's what I was about to ask you," Wesley replied. "So I guess we're stuck. I don't know why neither one of us can find it. The campus is smaller than my bathtub."

"I know," Matthew agreed. "Say, let's ask one of the orientation people. Here comes one now."

James was headed to the Student Center when he saw two people trying to flag him down. Not knowing his name, they called him "Orientation Guy" and hoped that he could get the message. He detoured and made his way toward them. His mouth dropped slightly at the sight of so much baggage, but he kept a straight face.

"The name's Jimmy," he said. "And sorry, I don't play moving man."

"Funny," Wesley responded dryly. "We're looking for Branham Hall. Where is it?"

"Right there," James said, pointing to two buildings that were conjoined. "It's the one on the left. The other side is East Hall. You two living in Branham?"

"No," Wesley said sarcastically, "we just want to drag our bags around the entire campus so we can check it off our list of things to do."

"He means yes," Matthew added, noticing James' look of disapproval.

"Anyway," James said, "it's over there. Let me know if there's anything y'all need. Don't forget to come to the Luau this evening. It's gonna be great."

"Thanks," Matthew said. "I'm Matt, by the way, and this is my roommate, Wesley."

"Jimmy," James said as he shook Matthew's right hand and Wesley's left hand.

The moment the three came into contact, however, something strange happened. For a brief moment, their hands were locked together. A weird sensation passed through each of them; it was as if they were having a huge adrenaline rush. Each of them suddenly felt rejuvenated, like they could do anything. Their bodies glowed faintly, though it was hardly visible in the bright summer sunlight. Then, everything was back to normal.

"What the hell was _that_?" Wesley asked. "You have one of those electric buzzers in your hand? Let me see!"

"No," James replied. "I don't know _what_ that was."

"I'm sure it was nothing but the heat getting to us all," Matthew suggested. "Thanks for pointing us in the right direction. Let's go, Wesley."

"See you around," James said as he continued to the Student Center.

_

* * *

_

"Did you feel that?" one of five hooded beings asked.

"Yes," another answered. "It was a powerful surge of energy. I have never felt anything like that before."

"Could it be?" the first asked.

In another plane of existence, five evil beings sat around a table, shaped like a pentagram. Each of the beings sat at one of the five points, embodying one of the five aspects of evil. The five beings, known collectively as the Council, were shrouded in mystery as they conversed amongst themselves. Candles were scattered throughout the mysterious lair, but they provided just enough light to show the silhouettes of each of the Council members.

The Council was the most powerful collection of evil beings known. Their power was unrivaled in the Underworld, and no other dared to challenge them. There was Anamalech, who sat at the point of the table that was labeled "Despair." Andras sat at the point labeled "Discord." Ardad sat at the point called "Distrust." Tenebrion sat at the point named "Darkness." Mastiphal sat at the point called "Damnation." Together with the power of the pentagram, a symbol of great evil, these five aspects of evil empowered the Council with a genuine hatred of all things good. They had no compassion, no emotion, and no sense of justice. They only cared about the spread of evil and the containment, and eventual destruction, of anything that opposed their power.

One of the Council members, Ardad, waved his hand, creating a gray mist in the middle of the table. Inside the mist, images began to form. They were images of people, young people. They were students at a small college. The mist revealed the faces of three young students who had met just moments ago, three who possessed the power to destroy them all.

"The Prophecy of the Complete," Ardad said. "It cannot be true."

"'Three will come together and free the world,'" Andras recited. "Are these the three?"

"Impossible," Tenebrion said. "They are strangers to each other. They do no even realize that that part of them exists."

"Sibyl," Mastiphal shouted impatiently as an olive-skinned woman, covered in silver veils, materialized into the room. "Look into the future and tell us what you see."

The woman looked off into the distance. Her eyes, once gray in color, had turned completely black. Her facial expression became blank and she shuddered at the images that raced through her mind. Slowly, the color returned in her eyes and she faced the Council.

"Honorable Councilmen," she said, "I have seen the future, but I am hesitant to speak of it."

"Speak!" Anamalech commanded fiercely. Sibyl took a couple of steps back in fear.

"I see," she began, "three young men. I see them doing great things, performing impossible feats of magic. I see them harnessing the powers of the universe. They are all powerful, but they do not realize it quite yet. If given enough time, they will discover the extent of their powers."

"Are they the Complete?" Mastiphal asked.

"It is not clear yet," she replied, bowing slightly. "They emit very powerful auras, but until they have come into their powers, it is not possible to determine."

"Leave us," Andras said. Sibyl, the Seer, said nothing and faded into nothingness. "They must be the three."

"We cannot take any chances," Tenebrion said. "If the Complete come into their powers, it will only be a matter of time before they fulfill their destiny."

* * *

_The Doctor's back with this: Destiny? I'm sure y'all can somewhat see where this is going, but I promise the action stuff's coming. It's hard to set up characters and storylines and junk!_


	4. Confusion

"I think we need to go to Home Depot," Matthew said to Wesley. "Our beds are going to have to be lofted."

"I don't wanna loft my bed," Wesley complained. "I like being on the ground. Besides, I might fall."

"There's not enough room," Matthew argued. "It's the only way."

"What are you," Wesley asked, "my big brother or something? If you hadn't brought all this stuff, we wouldn't even be having this conversation, which I'm moving to close right now."

"Hey," James called from outside, "it's Jimmy. Open up."

"What is it?" Wesley asked, opening the door.

"Y'all have to get all this stuff out of the hall," James said. "It's a safety violation."

"Don't tell me you're the," Matthew guessed before being cut off.

"I'm the Resident Advisor on this hall," James said. "You two are under _my_ command now."

"Wow," Wesley said half-enthusiastically, "now I've got _two_ big brothers to boss me around! How lucky..."

"Better be careful," James warned. "I just might take that offer."

"C'mon, guys," Matthew said, stepping between Wesley and James. "Knock it off. I don't have time to play mediator here. Why don't we all go grab something to eat and catch a movie and worry about this mess later?"

"Sounds fine to me," Wesley said.

"I'm not supposed to overlook stuff like this," James said, "but it's been a long day. I know a couple of good places around. We can go in my truck."

* * *

"Watch out, sweetheart!" Erik shouted as a fireball narrowly missed his wife's head.

Hearing her husband's warning, Lauren quickly gestured with her hands and the fireball, about to strike her in the chest, slowed to a snail pace, enabling her to easily move out of the way. She rejoined her husband, who had ducked behind the sofa to dodge the demon's attack.

The two of them handled situations like this all the time. They weren't ordinary people, but witches, people gifted with supernatural powers used to ward off evil forces. Lauren, standing at five feet five inches, was a fair-skinned woman with brown eyes and long brown hair. She was strong-willed and determined, yet she maintained a calm and grounded demeanor. She possessed two magical powers, which she used to help herself and her husband in tough situations. Her primary power was time dilation, the ability to slow time around her. Her secondary power was invisibility, the ability to vanish from sight.

Erik was her husband of twenty years. They met in college, where each had found out that the other was a witch. He was very tall at six feet four inches and was a champion wrestler and football player. His strength and physique were what caught Lauren's eye, but he quickly showed his real personality. To her, he was kind and affectionate, but to outsiders he seemed intimidating, stubborn, egotistical, and narrow-minded. His blond hair and blue eyes only emphasized what people already thought about him. His primary power was deflection, a rare power for a good witch. It allowed him to rebound any projectile attacks away from him. He also had a second power, supersensitivity, which gave him a heightened awareness to impending danger.

"Dammit!" Lauren exclaimed as she saw the fireball create a large scorch mark on a wall. "I just had these wall painted. The interior decorator people are going to think I'm psycho if I tell them that there's been _another_ accident!"

"Later, honey," Erik said. "There's still a demon in the room."

The demon was hardly intimidating; it stood just at five feet tall and was very thin. Its crimson skin was rough and leathery in appearance. It had bright yellow eyes and claws instead of hands. It laughed sinisterly as it conjured another fireball between its claws, preparing to attack again.

Erik waited patiently, something that was not typically in his nature. He stood up from behind the sofa and taunted the demon to attack him. The demon complied and threw the fireball. With a quick flash of his hands, Erik created a faint blue sheet of light that lasted for a brief second. The fireball made contact with the light screen and rebounded back towards the demon. Lacking the speed to dodge, the demon was hit head on by its own attack and disintegrated into nothing.

"Another one bites the dust," Erik sighed, helping Lauren to her feet. "I'm getting too old for this."

"Oh my God!" Lauren shouted, pointing at an old book. "The Book! It's glowing!"

"Glowing?" Erik asked. "Why would it glow?"

"I was told that it would glow when..." Lauren said as she gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh my God!"

"What?" Erik asked, seeing tears fall from Lauren's eyes. "What's the matter? Why are you crying?"

* * *

_From the Doctor: Why, indeed? And who the hell are Erik and Lauren anyway? They obviously have something to do with the story, otherwise they wouldn't be in it. Stay tuned to find out what their role is!_


	5. The First Taste of Action

_A short note: Finally, some action! Sorry it took so long, but stuff had to get set up and all..._

_

* * *

_

James, Matthew, and Wesley walked back to James' truck after eating their fill at the Waffle House. It was three o'clock in the morning and they were the only ones outside. James had parked his truck at the movie theater, which was a quarter mile away. Earlier, the weather was so nice, they had decided to walk around and have a mini-tour of the area, not realizing that they would stay out as late as they did.

"Why did we walk?" Matthew asked, holding his stomach. "I'm so full I can hardly move."

"Me too," Wesley agreed. "I'm not in any condition to walk. Why don't you go get the truck and bring it back here, Jimmy?"

"Aren't you the track star?" James asked Wesley. "I'm full, too. We need to move anyway. It'll keep the food from settling too soon."

They trudged towards their destination, completely unaware that they were being watched. After walking for ten minutes, they started to feel better. Suddenly, Matthew stopped.

"Did you guys feel that?" he asked, looking around his shoulder.

"Feel what?" James asked.

"Felt like a shock," Matthew said. "I can't really explain it. Now I have this feeling that we're being watched."

"I always have that feeling when I have to pee," Wesley said. "And I _really _have to go right now!"

James was about to say something, but his words were cut short as a man appeared from out of nowhere. Wesley's mouth dropped as he witnessed the bizarre spectacle. _People don't just appear like that_, he reasoned to himself. He wiped his eyes vigorously, hoping that the man would be gone when he reopened them. The man, however, just stood there with a peculiar grin. Matthew didn't say a word, but looked confused, as if he knew that this would happen. It was the strongest sense of déjà vu he had ever felt.

"What the hell is goin' on?" Wesley asked, finally saying something. "Hey! How did you do that?"

The man said nothing; he only grinned and slowly advanced upon the three students. James instinctively stood in front of Matthew and Wesley, as if he were going to protect them. Then the man stopped. He reached out towards James and an invisible force suddenly cast James ten feet away, throwing him to the pavement. Wesley began muttering words to himself as he glanced towards the sky.

"What are you doing?" Matthew mumbled under his breath.

"Praying," Wesley said quickly between prayers.

The man opened his left hand and a small dagger materialized in black smoke. He hurled it with all his strength at Wesley, who could only stare in disbelief. He yelled and threw his hands out, as if he was going to stop the dagger. What happened next made no sense. Instead of striking him, the dagger stopped in midair. It was frozen in time; its razor sharp tip was just inches away from Wesley's face. Wesley opened his eyes. His prayers were answered somehow. Matthew, thinking rationally, grabbed the dagger from midair and threw it back at the man. However, the man only caught it and it disappeared in the same black smoke in which it appeared. James had regained himself and ran back towards Matthew and Wesley, keeping both his eyes on the man.

"Are you okay?" Matthew asked James, whose shirt had been torn when he was thrown.

"Yeah," James said. "Just a little confused. I don't know what's going on, but y'all need to get out of here before he hurts either of y'all."

"Okay," Wesley said. "Where are your keys?"

"No," Matthew said, grabbing Wesley's arm. "We're staying here. We're all in this."

"How touching," the man finally said. "Now I can have the pleasure of killing _all_ of you at once. The Council will be pleased."

"Council?" Wesley asked. "Who are you?"

"I am," the man said slowly as his eyes began to glow a deep green, "the end."

He conjured a large sphere of green light in his hands. It flickered intensely as if it were made of electricity. He threw it at his three victims, who were all standing together. Before it could hit, though, its speed was suddenly slowed down to a snail pace, along with the man.

"Get out of the way!" a feminine voice called from a distance.

James pulled Matthew and Wesley out of the path of the mysterious energy ball and looked to where the voice had come. The three students saw two silhouettes running towards them. They didn't move; everything was still trying to register in their minds. Finally Wesley spoke out.

"What the _hell_ is goin' on here?" he asked frantically. "First, this man pops in from nowhere, then James ends up over there. A knife stops in the middle of the air. And now the green thing and the man are moving slower than holy hell! Somebody tell me what is happening! I want some answers because I'm freakin' out here!"

"Later," the man said as he and the woman reached them. "You three need to read this spell to vanquish him. It's the only way."

"A spell?" Matthew asked. "What are you people, witches or something?"

"Yeah," the woman said, winking at him, "and so are you. Now read this."

She gave Matthew a piece of paper with a poem written on it. Wesley and James gathered around him as they read it out loud:

_Evil doer have no name,  
__Rest you not on any plane.  
__Vanquish, we three witches sound!  
__Nothing left of you be found!_

The man began moving normally again. Before he could do anything, though, he began to shake uncontrollably as white lights shone through his body. He yelled as the light overcame him and tore him apart from the inside. James, Matthew, Wesley, and the two strangers watched as the man burst into a white conflagration and then everything went back to normal.

* * *

_Doctor Magic says: Wow! Some action sequence, huh? It's starting to heat up now! But I'm sure everyone's wondering exactly what's going on with these three strangers. Y'all gotta keep checkin' back to find out how things will turn out..._


	6. Overwhelmed

_The Doc's in: Ha! Now I got 2 reviews! That just gives me more gumption to keep writing this story! So, may-j, you gave me the juice to add another chapter! Must be a nice feelin' on the inside!_

* * *

"Thank God nobody was around to see this," Erik said, checking the area. "Is everybody okay?"

"Do I _look_ okay?" Wesley snapped back. His mouth was wide open and it refused to shut. His eyes had a look of sheer horror.

"He's right," James agreed. He showed no physical signs of panic, but it was clear by the tone of his voice that he was feeling a lot of different emotions at that moment. "What have y'all turned us into?"

"We didn't turn anyone into anything," Lauren answered. "We only showed you what you really are."

"What we really are?" Matthew echoed Lauren. "What are you trying to say, that we're witches or something?"

"I don't think that here is the best place to talk about this," Erik said. "Why don't y'all come back to our house and we can explain everything."

"Fuck that!" Wesley exclaimed. "We don't know y'all! And I'm not about to take myself into this any further than I already am! As far as I'm concerned, I'm goin' back to my dorm room and try my best to forget about this whole damn thing, which I doubt I'll be able to do!"

"Same here," James said. "We'll be leaving now. Matt?"

"Yeah," Matthew said slightly hesitantly. "We aren't interested."

"We're not being arbitrary here," Erik said strongly. "This is serious. You need to know how to handle things like this because like it or not, this is only the first time."

"Is that a threat?" James challenged, taking a step towards Erik.

"More like a concern," Erik answered, taking a step towards James.

"My husband is a little overwhelming," Lauren said, "but he's right. We _really_ need to talk to you in a safer place."

"Bye," James said, turning back to Matthew and Wesley.

He didn't say another word; he, Matthew, and Wesley just began walking towards James' truck, which was still a moderately long walk. Erik approached James and put his hand on his shoulder and stopped him from moving. James quickly turned around to see Erik's intimidating face. With a powerful "I SAID NO!" James waved his hand in a dismissing manner. Suddenly, at James' words and hand movement, Erik was magically thrown into the air, landing on the ground next to Lauren. James looked at his hand, then at Erik, who sat gruffly on the ground. He turned back towards his friends and they continued their walk.

"At least take this with you," Lauren yelled as she threw an oversized book to James, who caught it but quickly dropped it without looking at it.

"No, thanks," he said without turning back.

* * *

_Comments: These three college kids are headed for something they never thought was real! You'll have to keep comin' back to find out what I'm talkin' about! Here's a little teaser: strange things will happen soon..._


	7. Confessions

_The Doc: I hope y'all are having as much fun reading this as I am writing it! Please keep the reviews and junk comin' in; it gives me motivation to keep writing. Y'all know what happens when stories don't get reviewed? Writers die...think about that..._

* * *

Erik only paced back and forth in the living room, not saying a word. There was a distinct look in his eyes. It was a combination of anger, embarrassment, and loss of pride. Lauren sat on the couch, staring at the large scorch mark that was drew attention to itself. So many things were going through her mind that she couldn't begin to express them verbally. When she finally gathered her thoughts enough to speak, Erik beat her to it.

"What the hell just happened back there?" he asked. "We tried to be nice. We helped them. We _saved_ them. But how did they answer back? I was thrown to the ground! What sense does that make?"

"Honey," Lauren said calmly, trying to get Erik to relax a little, "they were scared. Did you really expect them to come back here? Besides, they've been through a lot. It's a lot for them to process right now. In their own time they'll come around."

"They don't have that kind of time," Erik said, still pacing. "They need to know what's going to happen to them from now on. They need to know that they are witches. They need to know that they are brothers. They need to know that they are the Complete."

"I know," Lauren said, "but they aren't going to accept everything just like that. It has to take time."

"And while we're on the subject," Erik said, stopping his pacing to look directly into Lauren's eyes, "why don't we discuss the _third_ child for a minute?"

"Please, honey," Lauren said, "let's just handle one thing at a time now. Our emotions are out of control right now."

"Damn right," he responded. "Now I know I've heard it before, but just for the sake of hearing it again, explain to me why the third child is black."

"Erik," Lauren began.

"Tell me," he commanded.

* * *

The ride back to Oxford was a very quiet one. No one, not even Wesley, said one word the entire trip. Upon returning to campus, they went back to their dorm rooms and just sat for a long while before anyone bothered to say anything at all. James, being the Resident Advisor, lived right across the hall from Matthew and Wesley. He finally knocked on their door and started a conversation.

"So," he began, "about this stuff in the hall, it really should get cleaned up as soon as possible."

"Okay," Wesley said. "It's right here on my checklist, next to buying sheets, getting groceries, and oh yeah, _vanquishing demons_!"

"I was just trying to make conversation," James said, glaring at Wesley.

"I know," Wesley said. "It's just that when you say things, they're just so...well, opportunistic, I have to come back with something."

"Good cover," Matthew whispered to Wesley.

"Anyway," Wesley continued, "what are we gonna do about this whole thing? I know you said we were coming back here to forget about it, but frankly, I don't really think I can. And I know I'm not alone on this one."

"Same here," Matthew said. "I didn't want to say anything, but while we were in the parking lot, I got this weird feeling that that guy was going to show up. Then, when those two people got there, I got an even stranger feeling that I knew them from somewhere."

"It was different for me," James said. "I felt something intense in me that was trying to burst out. Then when that blond guy grabbed my shoulder I just let it out. I don't know how he got thrown."

"Probably the same way _you_ did," Wesley said. "But for me, all I felt was panic and a need to get the hell out of there. And when he threw that blade at me, I just thought to myself, _stop_. I'm too young to die. And then it just stopped. So what's gonna happen to us now?"

"I hope it's over," Matthew said, "but I have a feeling that it's not."

"I bet _this_," James said, bringing that mysterious large book from before into Matthew and Wesley's room, "has all the answers in it."

"How did it end up here?" Matthew asked. "I thought you left it there."

"I did," James said, "but when I got back into my room, it was sitting on my bed. Think we should open it?"

"No," Wesley said. "Those people were talking about witchcraft and magic and junk that does _not_ exist. You open that book, and anything could fly out of there and sweep us all to another place."

"Maybe," James said, "but I like to take my chances. Matt?"

"I don't know," Matthew answered, scratching his head.

"C'mon," James said. "What do we have to lose?"

"Okay," Matthew said finally. "Let's do it. Wesley?"

"Majority rules," James said. "You're in it, whether you like it or not."

"Fine," Wesley said, "but for the record, I don't like it."

The book looked like it had been around for hundreds of years. It was dark blue in color and had an antique and faded look to it. It was extremely thick; it easily weighed over fifteen pounds. The front of the book was blank except for four words across the top in large letters: "The Book of Light." With Matthew and Wesley standing around him, James opened the book to the first page. There was nothing on it; it was blank. He turned to the next page. There was a poem on it. It was entitled, "To Be Read By The Complete." James turned to the next page and found the same poem. He flipped through the entire book and each page had the exact same poem as the second page.

"The Complete?" Wesley asked. "The Complete _what_?"

"Must be people," Matthew said. "I think."

"Let's read it," James suggested. "It's on every page anyway."

"I'll read it," Wesley said, "but if anything happens, I'm gonna be _really_ mad at y'all."

Together, the three of them began to read the poem:

_Powers That Be,  
__We demand of thee  
__The Gift of Magic  
__Belonging to us three.  
__With the passing of the hour,  
__Give to us the sacred power  
__To bring to life the prophecy,  
__To open the path of our destiny.  
__Mighty will be the power of three!  
__Unlock the Book to the Complete!_

Silence. Nothing happened. Wesley wiped his forehead, thankful that everything stayed normal, but after he did, things began to change. The book lifted itself from James' hands and rose into the air. White lights appeared and started circling the book, illuminating the entire room. The pages opened and turned themselves. As a speck of light hit each page, words magically etched themselves onto them. Afterwards, three balls of light emerged from James, Matthew, and Wesley. They floated into the air and surround the book. Then they merged together and formed a larger ball of light and entered the book. The cover of the book was now illustrated with three intertwining circles, two on the top and one slightly below them. The book fell back into James' hand and turned itself to the first page.

There was a picture of three men on it. They were all holding a large stick that appeared to be a scepter of some sort. Rays of light were shooting from the scepter and striking a large figure. It resembled a monster; it had large horns on top of its head and its eyes were red in color. Below the picture was a small caption that read: _Bloodshed will bring blood together and three will free the world from all evil_.

"What is that," Wesley asked, "a riddle? Blood bringing blood and freeing the world from evil? Get out of here!"

"Anyone notice anything funny about the picture?" Matthew asked, pointing at it. "Take a good look at those three people."

"Oh my God!" James said. "Is that..._us_?"

* * *

_I don't know, is it? You'll have to find out on your own, but not after speculating things for yourselves. Here's a hint: James and company will see and do things that are hardcore..._


	8. The Real Deal I

_Demandin' stuff really works, so big ups to Raya Halliwell for giving not one, but TWO reviews! For such a feat, I'm workin' overtime on this story. And if y'all have any suggestions about where my series should go in the future, feel free!_

_

* * *

_

"He has failed us," Mastiphal said, staring into the mysterious mist that floated in the midst of the pentagram-shaped table. "He obviously cannot handle a simple task of killing three young and inexperienced witches."

"They were not alone," Ardad said, pointing into the mist, where Lauren and Erik's faces appeared. "They had help."

"The parents of the Complete?" Tenebrion assumed. "This is a big inconvenience. If they continue to guide their children, the convergence will definitely take place."

"Perhaps there is another way to prevent it," Andras suggested. "There must be."

"No," Anamalech said, gritting his teeth. "We all know that a convergence is one particular moment that is the beginning of a chain of smaller events that eventually leads to a major event."

"It seems," Mastiphal added, "that the major event in this case is the fulfillment of the Prophecy of the Complete."

"Which means our end," Tenebrion concluded. "We must prevent that at all costs. We should kill their parents before they cause us any more harm."

"Agreed," Ardad said. "The young witches will never know about them and as such, they will be extremely vulnerable."

"Our window of opportunity grows smaller," Anamalech said, pointing into the mist. The images of James, Matthew, and Wesley replaced those of Erik and Lauren. "They have found their Book of Light. While they do not yet understand its power, their bond still grows stronger by the minute."

"That bond," Andras continued, "will unite them with the Book _and_ their powers."

"Alone, they are ignorant of the Craft," Mastiphal said. "Killing the parents will prevent them from learning what they need to know."

Mastiphal waved his right arm and a very large demon materialized into the room. He was at least seven feet tall and had pale green skin that was so tough that it resembled armor. On his back rested one horn, reaching out two feet behind him. His face had a look that could bring sheer terror to a person. In his hands was an oversized axe, strong enough to cut through steel as if it were paper.

His name was Astaroth. He was the Council's demonic assassin, only summoned for the most important assignments. In addition to the axe as a weapon, Astaroth possessed the strength of fifty of the strongest men in the world. Moreover, his armor-like skin provided an extra defense, making him almost impossible to defeat. After all, he had never been beaten before. His incredible strength and power came from his axe, which he called Wrath. He had the ability to summon Wrath and it would magically attract itself to him, as if they were both magnetic polar opposites.

"The Council," Astaroth said, bowing as deeply as he could as he recognized who had called him.

"Astaroth," Tenebrion said, "we have summoned you here for perhaps one of the most important assignments you will ever have."

"If not _the_ most important," Ardad added.

"I understand," Astaroth said, still bowing. "I live to serve the Council in any way."

"Behold the mist," Andras said as he pointed to the mist.

* * *

"Dammit, Erik!" Lauren shouted. "I thought we weren't gonna do this anymore!" 

"Don't try to play the sympathy game with me," Erik replied. "It won't work."

"We were _separated_!" she exclaimed. "He just happened to be there. You don't understand."

"Understand?" Erik repeated. "I don't understand? Damn right I don't understand! I don't understand how you could do such a thing like that! I don't understand how you could take our love for granted!"

"Things were hard!" Lauren shouted back. She was starting to lose her voice from yelling so much. "It happened so long ago! I was young and stupid! But didn't we make it through that? Didn't we promise each other that everything would be alright afterwards?"

Erik was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Growling under his breath, he went to open it. Both he and Lauren were surprised when James, Matthew, and Wesley stood on the other side.

"We've been knocking for ten minutes," Wesley said. "I think all the yelling tuned us out."

"Come in, come in!" Lauren said, running to the door. She pulled the three students inside and closed the door.

"What happened there?" Matthew asked, pointing to the large scorch mark on the wall.

"Fireball," Erik said, sitting down. "So, what brings y'all here? I seem to remember y'all not wanting anything to do with us."

"Sarcasm aside," Wesley said, "something happened when we got back to school. The book went all crazy after we read something."

"We want to know what's going on," James said. "We _need_ to know."

* * *

_Interesting, huh? Comin' up: James, Matthew, and Wesley finally find out what the deal is. But can they stop the evil that's coming after them even as you read these words? Hurry up and click that 'next chapter' button before it's too late! And send me some more reviews! I really, really, sincerely appreciate them!_


	9. The Real Deal II

_Read and review! Read and review! Read and review! I'm not psycho!_

* * *

"This is going to be hard to explain," Lauren said, putting her hand on Matthew's shoulder, "and even harder to believe, but I need y'all to just listen for a while."

"Uh oh," Wesley said, "drama."

"You three," Lauren said hesitantly, "are, for lack of a better word, _witches_. I'm not talking about any television variety kind. I mean _actual_ witches. You each have powers...gifts...that were passed down to you from, well...us."

"You?" Matthew asked. "That's impossible. That would make you our..."

"Parents," Erik said. "We knew about the Prophecy of the Complete, but we also wanted each of you to have normal lives at any cost. We didn't want y'all to grow up like we did. We didn't live day to day, like normal people did. We had to live demon to demon."

"Not too nice," Lauren said, trying to lighten the mood. "Anyway, it seemed that every evil somebody wanted to get their hands on y'all, so we had no choice but to send y'all to foster homes and bind your powers. We made sure that each of you were taken good care of, even though it broke our hearts to lose y'all."

"At any cost," Erik said, wiping tears from Lauren's eyes, "our primary concern was your well being. Earlier, while we were fighting a demon, the Book started to glow. Lauren told me that the only time it would glow was when the three of you were together...again."

"We knew that we had to find you," Lauren continued, "because once the three of you came together, your powers would become unbound. At the same time, y'all would be back on the radars of all the demons, warlocks, and whoever."

"Where's the hidden camera?" Wesley asked. "I mean, there is _no_ way that any of this is true! You two cannot possibly be _my_ parents. First of all, my family lives in Texas. Second of all, even if I _was_ adopted, everybody in this room is white. I, on the other hand, am not. It is damn near impossible that the two of y'all..._begat_ me! So let's talk about _that_ for a moment, then!"

"It's not the right time for that now," Lauren said, shooting a cold stare at Erik, who was about to say something. "We need to fill y'all in on too many other things."

"Right," Erik said, rolling his eyes. "You've obviously read the spell in the Book, unlocking it to y'all. That means that y'all _are_ the Complete, the three most powerful witches the world will ever know. And as such, it's your job to protect the world."

"From what?" James asked.

"From," Erik said, lowering his head, "all the forces of evil."

"It's your destiny," Lauren said, picking up Erik's slack. "You can't run away from it. You three were born to do this. Believe it or not, you three were supposed to go to the same college and meet each other. All of this was supposed to happen because it's all part of your destiny."

"I was just joking about the 'having bossy big brothers' thing earlier," Wesley said. "But let me ask you this; who attacked us earlier tonight?"

"They're after you," Lauren said. "That was one of many demons and warlocks who will come after you from now on. You need to learn how to use your powers now so that you can protect yourselves.

"The Prophecy foretold of three powers that would come together in three brothers who would have the power to defeat all evil in the world: the power to move things with the mind, the power to move through things as if they weren't there, and the power to stop time. Through the generations, these powers have moved from person to person, but they have never coexisted in the same time until now. Together, you three are inseparable and more powerful than you could ever imagine. The bond you will form with each other, as brothers, is the foundation of your powers. It is what makes your power complete. That's why y'all are called the Complete."

"The Book of Light," Erik continued, "has been in our family for hundreds of years. It began as a few scraps of paper and has grown to what it is today. Your ancestors have all added spells and potions that will help you on your way. Each generation before you has added something valuable in it. It holds a lot of power. Without it, you three are very vulnerable."

"But it repels itself against evil," Lauren explained. "so don't let him scare y'all."

"I'm sorry," Wesley said, "but I let him scare me. Everything I'm hearing sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel."

"It _is_ pretty hard to believe," Matthew added.

"But," James said, "I don't think we would've shown up here if some part of us wanted it to be real, especially after what we've seen. I mean, yeah it's a big shock, but if things have been happening so far, the least we could do is believe them."

"But think about this," Wesley suggested. "We all have our own families back home. We can't desert them. We have our own lives. We're in college. It's a crazy time for _normal_ people. Think about what _this_ is gonna do to our lives. It's basically gonna destroy them. I'm sixteen years old. I do _not_ want to sacrifice the best years of my life to save the world. As selfish as that sounds, I want to be a normal person. Is that too much to ask?"

"Yes," Matthew answered, getting a strange look from Wesley _and_ James.

"Wait," James said, interrupting Matthew. "You're only _sixteen_?"

"I'll be seventeen in October," Wesley claimed.

"The point I was trying to make," Matthew cut in, "was that I've had a lot of time to think while everybody's been talking. Before, I said it's hard to believe, which is true, but Jimmy's right...for once. It could be seen as a gift or a curse and I don't want any curses in my life anytime soon. I think we should do it as well."

"What do you think, Wesley?" Lauren asked.

"Majority rules in this family," Erik and James said at the same time.

"Well we know _they're_ related," Matthew said.

"I think," Wesley began, "that if Matt and Jimmy want to go along with this, then I don't have much of a choice."

"Don't just say it because you feel you have to," Lauren said. "Say it because it's your decision."

"It _is_ my decision," Wesley said after a long silence. "I'm on the demonic 'hit list' or whatever. I might as well learn how to watch my back."

* * *

_Sorry! I don't mean to sound like this crazy guy who gets off on getting reviews. They're really trivial, but they just make me feel like all this writing's not in vain!_


	10. The Beginning

_I appreciate the few reviews I have. Raya Halliwell keeps me motivated, so keep on keepin' on!_

* * *

Astaroth had carefully planned his attack. It was foolproof; nothing could go wrong. He waited outside of his targets' house. They sat inside, talking innocently, when they should have been protecting themselves. His plan was simple. He would blink into the room (every demon and warlock had this elementary ability to move from place to place in the blink of an eye) and with one swift motion, kill the two parents simultaneously. Then, he would easily finish off the three young ones, who would be left helpless. Mission accomplished, he would return to the Council, having tipped the scales drastically in evil's favor.

He wanted things to be perfect. Erik and Lauren had to be in one specific place: the beige sofa in the living room. Instead, Erik was standing in front of James and Lauren was sitting next to Wesley. His axe, Wrath, shook impatiently, ready unleash itself upon its prey, but Astaroth held it firmly in place and waited patiently for things to unfold.

"We've waited such a long time for this moment to happen," Lauren said, rubbing Wesley's head. "Now that's it's here, I'm just so happy..."

"Each of you have a role," Erik said. "Y'all have different personalities and backgrounds, so y'all need to work together to do your job."

"Trust in each other," Lauren said, moving to the sofa. "It's the only way you'll ever succeed."

"We have faith in you," Erik said, sitting next to Lauren and holding her hand. "I..."

His words were cut short as his power of supersensitivity kicked in. He felt an extreme sense of danger, one like nothing ever before. His heart began to race as adrenaline rushed through his system. Without saying a word, he grabbed Lauren and threw her off the sofa, just as Astaroth suddenly appeared. Throwing up his hands, a faint blue light screen flashed, rebounding Wrath's attack. The impact, though, threw Erik off the couch and into the kitchen table, fifteen feet away.

Lauren screamed as she threw her hands up. Astaroth's movement was decelerated, but not for long. She went to tend to Erik, but Astaroth fought through her power and returned to normal. Gasping, she faded into the air and ducked as Astaroth swung Wrath mightily in the direction of her head. She reached Erik, who was dazed, and tried to revive him as quickly as she could.

"I want you three to watch," Astaroth said to James, Matthew, and Wesley, "as I kill your parents first. Feel a part of yourselves being ripped out of your very being. And as your spirits fall, I will catch them and crush them myself as I kill each of you."

"Nice speech," James said as he focused his thoughts and extended his right palm. Instead of throwing Astaroth into a wall, as he had intended, the demon was only forced back a couple of feet.

"My turn," Astaroth said as he hurled Wrath at James.

The magical axe cut through the air as it zoned in on its target. Matthew, almost anticipating the situation, grabbed James' hand. The two of them became transparent as Wrath passed right through them and embedded itself into a wall. Their bodies became solid again as Matthew sat in a chair, exhausted.

"Nice save, bro," James said to Matthew. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Matthew said. "I just lost my wind for a minute. Give me a minute."

"We don't have that kind of time," Wesley said, pulling Matthew to his feet. "This guy doesn't look like he'll give us a time-out."

"I usually don't," Astaroth said, "but it's not your turn yet."

Astaroth reached a hand out and Wrath freed itself from the wall and flew back to his hands. It narrowly missed Wesley's head as it zoomed through the air. He turned back towards Lauren and Erik, who had regained himself and was standing. With all of the strength he possessed, Erik flashed his hands at Astaroth. The blue light screen hit the demon, knocking him onto the ground. James and his brothers took the opportunity and ran towards Erik and Lauren. Astaroth slowly rose to his feet, annoyed that he had fallen in the first place. He stared at his enemies, extremely angry that things were taking as long as they were.

"Jimmy," Matthew said, "try again." James again extended his hand in an attempt to throw Astaroth. However, the demon was only forced back a couple of feet again.

"C'mon, Jimmy," Wesley shouted. "Focus!"

Astaroth ignored them and swung Wrath at Erik again. Using his power to protect him, he deflected the attack and the axe bounced back towards its master, who only caught it harmlessly. The impact, stronger than before, threw Erik through the wall he was standing against and onto the grass outside. He had been thrown through solid brick as he crashed to the ground, unconscious.

"No!" Lauren screamed.

Using her power of invisibility, she vanished faded into nothing and charged towards Astaroth, hoping to separate him from his axe. James distracted him by telekinetically pushing him backwards as far as he could, but he had no more luck then than he did before. Matthew went to tend to Erik while Wesley stood there, not knowing what to do. Astaroth threw Wrath at James again, but Wesley instinctively threw his hands up. The axe was frozen in time, its razor sharp blade just inches from James' face.

"It worked!" Wesley said triumphantly as he pulled James out of the path of the deadly axe. "Don't just stand there like a dummy, Jimmy. I don't know how long that freezing thing lasts."

James pulled the axe out of the air and it exerted all of its weight on him. Being so strong, Wrath was as light as a feather to him, but to James it seemed to weigh a ton. It pulled James to the ground, pinning him under it while Wesley tried to pry it off. Meanwhile, Lauren had reached Astaroth and jumped on the horn on his back. She reached his head and tried to choke him to death.

"Erik," Matthew said, shaking Erik's unconscious body. "You gotta wake up. We need you in there."

* * *

_The Doc write: What's gonna happen with Erik? I mean, he did just get thrown through a brick wall and everything. Click that 'Next Chapter' button to find out!_


	11. Of

Nothing happened. Matthew kept shaking him, but he still would not budge. Hearing screams from inside the house, he ran back in to find James stuck under the giant axe, with Wesley trying to free him, and some invisible force pulling at Astaroth from behind. Assessing the situation, he went to help Lauren.

Astaroth, with a simple twist of his body, threw Lauren into the air and caught her by the throat. As he slowly squeezed the life out of her, he felt something miniscule pulling on him. He looked down and saw Matthew, trying to body slam him. With his other hand, he easily picked up Matthew by the arms and threw him into Wesley and James. Focusing on Lauren, he now used both hands to choke her. Her struggling was futile; he was far stronger than she was. With her hands pinned to her sides, there was nothing she could do. With her last breath, she whispered "I love you" to her children and then her world went black. Satisfied, Astaroth threw her lifeless body through the brick wall and she fell on top of Erik.

He reached a hand out and Wrath magically lifted itself from on top of James and flew back towards him. Matthew and Wesley helped James to his feet, but the weight of the axe had broken his left leg when it fell on him. Laughing evilly, Astaroth feigned sympathy for James.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, sneering. "Don't worry. Soon you won't feel anything."

"We have to do something," Matthew said quickly. "Lauren and Erik are both dead. He killed them."

"We're on our own?" Wesley asked. "What can _we_ do?"

"Avenge their deaths," James said.

There was a dark look in his eyes as he said those words. He felt guilty for their deaths, almost as if he could have done something, but didn't. His spirit burned with a desire to destroy Astaroth once and for all before he could inflict any more damage. He pushed Matthew and Wesley aside and put all his weight on his right leg. Thinking about all everything that he had experienced before, he waved his right hand violently towards Astaroth. This time, he tapped into his power of telekinesis fully and Astaroth was lifted into the air and hurled into a wall, shattering it like a window. Matthew and Wesley stepped back, slightly afraid of James. He motioned for the Book of Light, which was sitting on an end table, and it flew towards him. The moment he caught it, the pages began to flip of their own accord. Matthew and Wesley gathered around to read the contents of the page.

It was an entire two pages dedicated to Astaroth. It told of his role, his powers, Wrath, and how to vanquish him. Their actions were disrupted by the sound of Wrath whistling through the air, headed straight for James. Remembering what he heard earlier, he held up the Book to shield himself. As Wrath struck the Book, a majestic white light illuminated the room and the axe bounced harmlessly onto the floor. Astaroth reached his hand out to summon it, but with a hard nudge from James, Wesley gestured with his hands and froze Astaroth in time. He smiled at his accomplishment.

"I did it again!" he exclaimed. "Did y'all see it?"

"Not now," James said. "There's a spell we need to read to get rid of this guy."

_Assassin of evil, your days are done.  
__Your evil ways are now unspun.  
__Death to many you have brought;  
__Their suffering cannot be erased.  
__All the pain that you have caused  
__Now comes together to seal your fate!_

Astaroth broke free of his state of suspended animation, but it was too late. Streams of black mist began to flow from the ground and circle him. The mists formed into transparent bodies that moaned loudly. The three brothers stared in amazement at what they were seeing. The bodies, one by one, entered Astaroth's own body. He yelled in pain as each spirit penetrated his body. After countless spirits had entered him, he began to shake violently and uncontrollably. The skin on his body began to bubble as if he were being burned alive. Suddenly, he exploded. Black goo splattered everywhere, including the three brothers.

"Gross," Matthew said, wiping some of the thick slime from his face.

"I think I'm gonna throw up!" Wesley said as he ran to the bathroom.

"Are you okay?" Matthew asked James, who just stared at the place Astaroth stood. He was breathing heavily.

"I'll live," James said.

"Listen," Matthew said, "we're gonna get through this, all three of us. Erik and Lauren didn't die in vain."

"I know," James sighed, "but this is just the weirdest thing in the world. First, I find my two 'long-lost' brothers, then I find my 'long-lost' parents, who get killed right in front of me. Then I find out I'm a witch who's supposed to save the world from God knows what."

"You can't let it all build up on you like that," Matthew said. "You just have to take things one day at a time."

"I mean that was the nastiest thing ever!" Wesley said, walking back into what was left of the living room. "I hope they don't _all_ do that."

"So you liked it?" Matthew asked.

"Hell no!" Wesley replied quickly. "I was just trying to lighten the mood around here, considering...you know."

"Let's get out of here," James said. "We have a lot to do."

* * *

_From the Doctor: Great action! I promised it would be worth reading! But what do y'all think about it? The conclusion of this great story's coming up next!_


	12. The End

It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The sun was shining brightly, but a faint and constant breeze offset the heat to create the perfect atmosphere. High above the ground, birds flew gracefully through the air. They seemed to be playing with each other, not worrying about anything else. On the ground, however, things were a bit more somber. A small crowd was gathered around a cemetery plot, mourning the lost lives of Erik and Lauren White. In front of the crowd stood James and Matthew, while Wesley had retreated to the very back; he hated funerals and death. The funeral was nearing its end and the crowd was slowly dispersing as the funeral directors were left to do their job.

"This was good," Matthew said to James. "I'm glad we did it."

"They deserved it," James said. "It's the least we could've done."

"I think we should go now," Matthew suggested. "I don't think they want us around when they put the bodies into the ground."

James and Matthew grabbed Wesley, who had fallen asleep under a tree, and set off back to Oxford College in James' truck, content in their decision to give their parents a formal final farewell. Many things raced through their minds on the way back. They thought about everything that had happened to them in the past day. They thought about everything that had happened to them just now. They thought about what lie ahead of them in the future.

"Frankly," Wesley said, breaking the silence, "I'm scared. I don't wanna be coming to funerals on a regular basis."

"Don't worry," James said. "We'll be on our toes next time."

"Listen to this," Matthew said, reading out of the Book of Light. "It says in here that we're actually descended from the most powerful warlock in history, Matthias White."

"Sounds like a namesake," James said.

"Listen," Matthew continued, ignoring James' comment, "it says that our line started over five hundred years ago. Matthias fell in love with a witch named Patricia Nichols and they had a kid, William. Patricia didn't know that he was evil at first, but she found out when she saw him kill another witch. After that, she tried to vanquish him, but he was too powerful. He lost all his love for her and ended up killing her. He tried to kill the child, but the child was able to protect himself somehow and kill Matthias at the same time."

"Interesting family," Wesley commented. "So that's where I come from."

As Matthew flipped through the pages, a strange wind blew through James' truck. The pages in the Book began moving by themselves, turning to the very last page. Streaks of white light struck the page lightly, etching words into it. As the lights subsided, they revealed a genealogy chart, beginning with Matthias White and ending with James, Matthew, and Wesley. There were hundreds of names in between, each name being one of their ancestors. Just above James and Matthew's names were Lauren and Erik's, connected by a solid line. Above Wesley's, however, was only Lauren's name, connected by a dotted line. Wesley's head fell in disappointment.

"I guess I'll never know," he said.

"You'll find out," Matthew said, "just not now I think."

"Well what a welcome to college, huh?" Wesley asked, suddenly changing the subject. "Looks like we're in it for the long haul, _brothers_."

"Yeah," James said. "And as the oldest, I think it's only fair that I get to keep the Book in my room."

"Why?" Wesley asked. "There are two of us and one of you! We should keep it! What's your room, the headquarters or something?"

"You're only sixteen," James said. "You're still going through puberty."

"That just means that I'm smarter than you are," Wesley said. "And I went through puberty four years ago, thank you very much!"

"Oh, God," Matthew sighed, closing his eyes, "it begins..."

* * *

_Thanx so much, guys, for reading my story! I hope you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it. Now, I want to do a series of these three brothers that will cover four "seasons," each season representing a year they're in college. That way, in the end they'll hopefully be graduating from school. Any ideas for following stories are GREATLY appreciated from this point! I seem to have come down with writer's block..._


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